Interchangeable shoe-last.



T. GRIFFIN INTERGHANGBABLE SHOE LAST.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 25, 1910. I Patented '4,

WITNESSES INVENTOR: BY W A TTORNEI".

EVER: CD- WASHING1DN, 11v 6.

T. GRIFFIN INTERUHANGEABLE SHOE LAST.

APPLIOATION FILED JULY 25,1910.

988,769. Patented Apr. 4, 1911.

2 BHEETS-BHBET Z.

WITNESSES: mil 51117016; 41431. 1M1 W' A T TORNE Y.

THOMAS GRIFFIN, OF NOBLESVILLE, INDIANA.

INTERCHANGEABLE SHOE-LAST.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 4, 1911.

Application filed July 25, 1910. Serial No. 578,782.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS GRIFFIN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Noblesville, in the county of Hamilton and State of Indiana,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in InterchangeableShoe-Lasts; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, andexact description of the invention, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of referencemarked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to shoemakers apparatus whereby lasting ofdifferent sizes of shoes or boots may be accomplished conveniently andexpeditiously, the invention having reference more particularly to alast comprising a stock portion mounted adjustably on a stand, and alasting portion secured removably to the stock portion so that lastingportions which may be of various sizes externally may be quicklyinterchanged to suit the requirements of different sizes of shoes orboots.

The object of the invention primarily is to provide an improvedshoemakers last of such construction as to enable the manufac turer orrepairer to keep on hand a large variety of styles and sizes of lasts atrelatively small cost, any of which may be quickly placed in positionfor use; the specific object of the invention being to provide lastingmembers of the apparatus which shall be adapted to be of light weightand cheap construction so that a large number may be kept on hand at theminimum expense.

Another object of the invention is to provide improved adjusting meansfor lasts of the above-mentioned character that will enable the lasts tobe moved and adjusted to the most convenient positions for the operator.

With the above-mentioned and minor objects in view, the inventionconsists broadly in a shoe-support com rising a stock which isadjustably mounte on a stand and of which the main portion serves as abody part of a last, the forward portion of which is shaped similar tothe forward portion of a foot but is of relatively small size, and aslipper shaped lasting member fitting removably on the stock and latchedthereto, the exterior of the lasting member being of any suitabledimensions; and the invention consists further in the novel parts, andcombinations and arrangements of parts, as hereinafter particularlydescribed and claimed.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is an elevation, partially insection and broken away, of a last and stand construction substantiallyin accordance with the invention, the last being shown in rear elevationand difierent inclinations indicated by broken lines; Fig. 2, a top planof Fig. 1 in which different positions of the last are indicated bybroken lines; Fig. 3, a fragmentary vertical section on the line A A inFig. 1 in which the last is shown in a positon differing from those inthe preceding figures and other positions indicated by broken lines;Fig. 4, a vertical section of the last in one of its operative positionsand the upper portion of the stand; Fig. 5, a top plan of the mainportion of the stand partially broken away; Fig. 6, a fragmentarysection on the line B B in Fig. 4; Fig. 7, a fragmentary section on theline C C in Fig. 4; Fig. 8, a perspective view of the stock portion ofthe last; Fig. 9, a perspective view of the complete last separate fromits stand; Fig. 10, a perspective view of the lasting or removableportion of the complete last; Fig. 11, a perspective view of the yokecomprising one of the means for connecting the stock portion to thestand; and Fig. 12, a perspective View of another part of the means forconnecting and supporting the stock portion.

Similar reference characters in the different figures of the drawingsindicate corresponding elements or features of construction hereinreferred to.

The invention comprises a suitable hollow base 1 in which is pivoted afoot lever 2, a hollow column 3 being mounted on the base and having acoupling 4 on its upper end to which is secured a head 5 in the top ofwhich is formed a socket 6 of substantially hemispherical contour. Thehead has a squared side 7 in the top of which is a concave recess 8adjacent to one side of the socket which serves as a portion of ajournal bearing. The squared portion has a projection 9 at the frontside thereof in the top of which is a journal bearing portion 9. A pivothead 10 is provided which is substantially spherical externally and ithas a slot 11 therein and also a suitable number of recesses 12, 12, thepivot head being provided with a journal 13 on one side thereof, atopposite ends of which collars 1 1 and 14 are formed. The pivot head isseated movably in the socket 6 and the journal is mounted in the bearing9, the collar 14 serving as a portion of the ournal in the re cess 8.The pivot head is provided with a pivot 15 which extends across therecess 11. A yoke 16 has an internal journal bearing cap 17 whichcooperates with the bearing 9 to constitute a ournal box for the journal13, the yoke having two limbs 18 and 18 Y which extend along oppositesides of the projection 9 and are secured thereto by rivets 19, 19, orsimilar devices. It will be clear from the foregoing that the pivot headis maintained in the socket 6 rotatively. The yoke has a projectingguide 20 that is in contact with the globular surface of the pivot headto assist in keeping the latter in its socket.

A last of novel construction comprises a main or body part 21 of a stockprovided with a substantially disk shaped shank 22 having an axial hole23 therein. receiving the pivot 15, the disk being of the same diameteras the pivot head 10 and it fills the slot 11 therein. The periphery ofthe disk has a suitable number of recesses 2%, 242 to receive a latchbolt. The portion of the stock corresponding to the lower forwardsupporting end when the sole of the last is uppermost has a concavebearing face 25 adapted to rest upon the rounded top of the yoke 16, soas to afford rigid support when hammering a shoe sole. The rear portionof the stock has a heel portion 26 that has a proper contour to serve asa portion of the last, and from the body portion of the stock a forwardfoot portion extends that is less in diameter than the body portion ofthe stock, and it has a curved sole 27 and a correspondingly curvedupper portion 28, the foot portion being tapering. A rib 29 extends fromthe heel portion 26 to the sole 27, there being undercut stop shoulders30 and 30 formed on the body part 21 at the junction of the relativelysmaller foot portion therewith, the shoulders extending oppositeinwardly curved sole portions 27 and over to the rib 29. The heelportion has a slot 31 therein extending from rear of the sole portionthereof to the opposite side and into the rib 29. A shoulder 32 isformed at the forward and side portions of the stock 21 at the junctionof the foot portion therewith. A latch 33 is arranged in the slot 31 andsupported on a pivot 3A which is mounted in the body of the stock andextends across the slot, the latch normally projecting beyond the soleportion of the heel part of the body, facing rearward, and the latch hasa thumb piece 35 thereon Which projects from the opposite end of theslot for retracting the latch, the

latter being normally projected by means of a spring 36 secured theretoand engaging the body 21 in the slot.

A suitable number of lasting members is provided which may be of varioussizes and different contours to correspond to difierent sizes and stylesof foot-wear, but they are all alike internally so that each and all ofthem shall accurately fit one stock. Each lasting member is hollow andcomprises a main sole 37 and a top or vamp part 38 preferably formedintegrally, and the latter may, if desired, have slots 38 therein asshown in Fig. 10 to eliminate unnecessary metal, there being anextension sole 37 of suitable width and contour extending beyond the topor vamp. The lasting part slips easily over the foot portion of thestock and the top or vamp is cut away so as to fit against the shoulder32 on the stock and so as to form rearwardly projecting side portions 39and 39 adapted to fit against the shouldered portions 30 and 30, theheel portion 40 of the sole being adapted to rest against the sole ofthe heel portion 26, and it has a recess 11 therein to receive the latch33, the end 41 of the recess being engaged by the latch for holding thelasting member re-, movably 011 the stock.

A latch-bolt 12 is mounted vertically in the head 5 and it has anoperating stem 43 extending through a bushing 44: inserted in the lowerend of the head, and a connecting rod 45 is connected to the rod 43 andextends through the column 3 and is connected to the lever 2, A spring46 is mounted in the head 5 in contact with the latch-bolt 12 andnormally projects it. The latchbolt is adapted to enter either one ofthe recesses 12, 12, or the recesses 24, 24: for latching the last whenadjusted. The body portion of the stock is of such size that thedifferent sizes of adults shoes may be placed thereon, and it will beunderstood that a smaller size is provided for the accommodation ofinfants shoes. The exterior of the lasting member joins neatly with thestock, so as to present smooth external surfaces.

In practical use, with a shoe on the last the treadle 2 is pusheddownward by the foot of the operator to release the pivot head 10, andthen the shoe may be adjusted to a con venient position by moving thelast about the axis of the pivot-head corresponding to the axis of thejournal 13, or the last may be moved so as to swing about the axis ofthe pivot 15, and it is evident that the latch bolt may be held downwhile the last is freely manipulated during finishing operations, andthat when the latch bolt is released it is projected into any one of therecesses pro vided to receive it.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, is-

1. A Shoe-support including a stock ha ing a tapering forward portionand a shouldered rear portion, a hollow lasting member having a taperinginterior and ashouldered rear portion, and a latch for securing the rearportion of the lasting member removably to the rear portion of thestock.

2. A shoe-support including a stock having a tapering forward portionand a slot in its rear or heel portion, ahollow lasting member which isopen at its rear and adapted to be slipped over the forward portion ofthe stock, the rear or heel portion of the member having a shoulderfacing forward, and a latch mounted movably in the slot and facingrearward to engage theshoulder.

3. A shoe-support including a head having a socket in the top and ahorizontal journal-box at the side of the socket, a pivothead rotativein the socket and having a journal thereon rotative in the journal-box,the pivot-head having a slot therein, and a last comprising a stockhaving a shank pivoted in the slot, and a lasting member mountedremovably on the stock.

4. A shoe-support including a hollow lasting member comprising a soleportion and an upper or vamp portion on the sole portion, the upper orvamp portion having rearwardly-facing ends, and a stock havingforwardly-facing shoulders and adapted to receive the hollow lastingmember over its forward end and stop the same with the rearwardly-facingends against the shoulders.

5. A shoe-support including a supporting head provided in its top with ahemispherical socket, the head having a journal bearing thereon at theside of the socket, a spherical pivot-head rotativel mounted in thesocket and having a j ourna thereon rotatively mounted in thejournal-bearing, the pivot-head having also a slot therein, a yokesecured to the supporting head and extending over the journal, and alast having a disk-shaped shank pivoted in the slot, the last beingadapted to be partially supported upon the yoke.

6. A shoe-support including a supporting head having a hemisphericalsocket in the top and a horizontal journal-box at the side of thesocket, a latch-bolt mounted in the head and projectable into thesocket, a spherical pivot-head having a slot therein and mountedrotatively in the socket, the pivot-head having a journal thereonrotative in the journalbox and having also recesses therein to receivethe latch-bolt, and a last having a disk-shaped shank pivoted in theslot, the shank having recesses in the periphery thereof to receive thelatch-bolt.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

THOMAS GRIFFIN.

Witnesses J OEL STAFFORD, WM. E. DUNN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). G.

